COMMERCIAL VEHICLE INDIA AUGUST 2021 by Next Gen Publishing Pvt Ltd

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Volume 15 Issue 11 • August 2021

Last Mile Cargo Solutions

Making Buses

Smarter And Safer

Smart Transport Helping Bus Operators Bounceback

In Focus

International Electrifying Public Transport And Making Commutes Safer /commercialvehicle

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Into The Future: FY 22 And Beyond /commercialvehicle.in

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The Bottomline I Feel The Pinch

O “The operating losses by way of operational expenditures exceeding gross profits continue to threaten the bottom line.”

n a recent drive, I pulled over for a refuel. At 107.83 a litre in suburban Mumbai, 9.27 litres of petrol set me back by Rs.1000. It was a one-off, journey within city limits and so I waved my card at the Point of Sale (PoS), took back my keys and settled on the driver’s seat without breaking into a sweat. I rolled up the windows to avoid the drizzle and shut the door close. On turning the ignition on, I was surprised to see the visual indication of the activity in the fuel tank. At a city mileage of 10 kmpl, I expected to see the trip fuel bump up to 90 Kms. To my shock, it read just 50 Kms. Having serviced my car recently, it was easy for me to get back to the pump dealer for a check. On checking the fuel dispensing accuracy at the pump, I was able to prove my point and avoid the negligence by getting the staff to own up. However, for you the stakeholders of the industry these checks are a minuscule part of your day-to-day operations. The odds of such a fast one being pulled on you are lower, and the odds of you not intercepting it even lower. With the sheer scale of operations and the number of vehicles to keep a tab on, it translates to many more touch points. The operating losses by way of operational expenditures exceeding gross profits either at the filling station or to pilferage, to deductions spanning the toll, taxes, debt servicing, fleet upkeep continue to threaten the bottom line. At a time when milestones have been replaced by such survival goals, the efforts of the CV industry as a whole to maintain business continuity and development while giving back to society at large is praiseworthy. keep at it! Ashish Bhatia ashish@atashishbhatia.com a.bhatia@nextgenpublishing.net

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what's inside Cover story 22

Making Buses Smarter And Safer The stakeholders of the bus ecosystem are leaving no stone unturned to make buses smarter and safer. Ashish Bhatia looks at some of the inclusions expected to drive the recovery of the segment.

Helping Bus Operators Bounceback Bitla Software is offering a solutions suite with proven functionality to its customers. Ashish Bhatia looks at the value proposition aimed at helping bus operators stage a strong recovery after a tough fiscal year.

05 The Bottomline Ashish Bhatia

08 CV News n DICV prepares for disruptions n Suman Mishra is CEO of Mahindra Electric n Tata Motors fleet solution n Atul Auto partners CSC Grameen eStore n New Piaggio EV dealership in Cochin n BharatBenz hospital on wheels n New leadership in key industrial ministries n Exports surge in June n NH construction peaks during second wave n Natrax High-Speed Track n NITI Aayog: High fuel taxation linked to revival of economy

n n n n n n n n n n n n

MTech in Defence Technology 450 GW renewable energy by 2030 Maharashtra EV roadmap India's largest public vehicle charging station MSRTC wants to break even Discount for DTC commuters Patent for a tractor 4WD changeover control Tata Power partners HPCL for EV infra Navi Mumbai gets a new logistics park FedEx Express invests big in Delhivery ZF India four-point strategy Continental India warranty Mobile calibration lab services

Write to us at cvonline@nextgenpublishing.net with your feedback and suggestions or visit us at www.commercialvehicle.in to catch the digital first content.

Commercial Vehicle August 2021 | www.commercialvehicle.in

R YOUICE VO

August 2021 24

19 Last-Mile Cargo Solutions Omega Seiki Mobility has partnered with Valeo India for last-mile cargo solutions. Prateek Pardeshi looks at the scope of the partnership involving the Rage+ and Rage+ Frost three-wheeler, cargo range. 34

Commercial Vehicle Magazine

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Into The Future: FY 22 And Beyond The future looks bright for the Indian CV industry despite the disruptions. Shyam Maller looks at how the ecosystem is buckling up for FY2022 and keeping the wheels moving.

42 Digitalising To Deliver Actionable Data Mobile hydraulics expert Terry Hershberger draws attention to key trends in controls and IoT connectivity to improve machine design and end-user operations. 47

Electrifying Public Transport And Making Commutes Safer In the latest Busworld Southeast Asia congress, the rise of electrification in buses and coaches and the need to make commutes safer took centrestage. Sumesh Soman delves deeper.

Hino Poncho Z EV bus Scheduled for 2022, the Hino Poncho Z EV electric bus takes into consideration the growing concern for global environmental issues.

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Editor Ashish Bhatia Test Editor Aspi Bhathena Web Editor Ashish Bhatia Correspondent Deepti Thore Head-Design & Production Ravi Parmar Art Director Mangesh Sawant Asst. Art Director Ajit Manjrekar Designer Prathmesh Vichare Image Desk Dipak Gaykar Production Supervisor Dinesh Bhajnik Publisher Marzban Jasoomani Associate Publisher & Ellora Dasgupta General Manager (North & East) Mentor & Special Advisor Hoshang S. Billimoria General Manager Girish Shet South

iews and opinions expressed in the magazine are not necessarily those of Next V Gen Publishing Pvt. Ltd. Next Gen Publishing Pvt. Ltd. does not take responsibility for returning unsolicited manuscripts, photographs or other material. All material published in COMMERCIAL VEHICLE is copyright and no part of the magazine may be reproduced in part or full without the express prior written permission of the publisher Printed by Marzban Jasoomani Next Gen Publishing Pvt. Ltd., 608, Trade World, 6th floor, C wing, Kamala Mills compound, Senapati Bapat Marg, Lower Parel (W), Mumbai - 400013. Published by Marzban Jasoomani on behalf of Next Gen Publishing Pvt. Ltd., 608, Trade World, 6th floor, C wing, Kamala Mills compound, Senapati Bapat Marg, Lower Parel (W), Mumbai - 400013, Printed at Kala Jyothi Process Pvt. Ltd, 1-1-60/5 RTCX Roads, Hyderabad - 20. Published at Next Gen Publishing Pvt. Ltd., 608, Trade World, 6th floor, C wing, Kamala Mills compound, Senapati Bapat Marg, Lower Parel (W), Mumbai - 400013. All readers are recommended to make their own independent enquiries before sending money, incurring expenses or entering into commitments in relation to any advertisement appearing in the publication. Commercial Vehicle does not vouch for any claims made by advertisers for their products and services. The editor, publisher, printer and employees of the publication shall not be held liable for any consequence in the events of such claims not being honoured by the advertisers. All disputes are subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of competent courts and forums in Mumbai only. Editor Ashish Bhatia

Commercial Vehicle www.commercialvehicle.in | August 2021

News

DICV prepares for disruptions Daimler India Commercial Vehicle (DICV) has formed the Transformation Management Office (TMO) to prepare for future disruptions in the aftermath of the pandemic. The new vertical is said to have been formed to focus on driving maximum synergies, steering digital transformation, enhancing customer service and scaling business offerings in the future. It will be responsible for

driving transformation and strategic initiatives. Averred Satyakam Arya, Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director, DICV, “Now more than ever, companies need to embrace change in order to ensure longterm prosperity. For the automotive industry, this will mean being ready for significant disruption in the areas of digitalisation, sustainability, electrification and company culture.”

As part of the strategy, the company has announced new appointments. Chief Information Officer, Chulanga Perera has been appointed as the Chief Transformation Officer (CTO) and Head of Strategy. Arya drew attention to the company, despite the global pandemic and economic downturn, outperforming the Indian CV market and emerging from 2020 with significant increases in both domestic sales (up by 46 per cent) and incoming orders (up nearly 150 per cent ) for Q42021.

Suman Mishra is CEO of Atul Auto partners CSC Grameen Mahindra Electric eStore Mahindra Electric Mobility Ltd. (MEML) of the Mahindra Group announced the appointment of Suman Mishra as the new Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and the Whole-time Director effective August 14, 2021. She also takes over as the Chief Executive Designate for the Last Mile Mobility (LMM) business. Speaking of Mishra’s accomplishments, Rajesh Jejurikar, Executive Director Auto, and Farm Sectors, Mahindra and Mahindra Ltd., and Chairperson, MEML, informed how she will play an important role in driving the emobility strategy at the company. She will also be instrumental in capaitalising on opportunities in LMM and drive the vision of the company’s ‘Born EV’ platform. Taking the place of ongoing Managing Director

and CEO Mahesh Babu who completes his tenure of 22 years, she will report to Jejurikar. Mishra will move out from her current role as Senior Vice President – Business Transformation, Insights and Analytics (BIA) for the automotive sector. The performance transformation expert with 20 years of global experience across strategy and end to end performance transformation across sales, manufacturing, purchasing, products, costs, and supply chain joined the Mahindra Group in 2015 as Sr VP in Group Strategy Office where she is said to have played a key role across various segments. She holds an MBA degree from the University of Michigan, Ross School of Business and is a Computer Engineer from NTU Singapore.

Commercial Vehicle August 2021 | www.commercialvehicle.in

Three-wheeler manufacturer Atul Auto Ltd. has partnered with CSC Grameen eStore, an e-commerce initiative by CSC eGovernance Services India Ltd. Aimed at promoting a digital marketplace with a special focus on rural areas, the company’s product range will be listed on it. It is expected to be accessed by potential customers in hinterlands and deep rural areas through aspirational Village Level Entrepreneurs (VLEs). Speaking on the sidelines of the launch, mentioned Niraj Chandra, Director, Atul Auto Ltd., “Atul Auto has

developed a robust process to generate demand for its wide range of threewheeled products through VLEs who will help list the products on CSC Grameen eStores.” He further drew attention to the VLEs expected to promote, generate inquiries, and facilitate the sale to end customers in rural areas where the company will also leverage the reach of its authorised dealerships. The company is using the advancement in digital trade to comply with the Covid-19 protocols put in place by the government.

news

‘XPRES’ by Tata Motors Tata Motors announced the launch of a new brand ‘XPRES,’ for fleet customers. Under the new brand, the company has focussed on making the car range stand out through its ‘New Forever’ passenger range of cars and sports utility vehicles. It has done so using a dedicated badge, premium black theme interior with standard automatic climate control and using electric blue accents across its interior and exterior. The company has also worked out offerings tailored for the fleet customer. Safety, passenger comfort and low Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) are expected to be the key focus areas for the fleet solution. The first vehicle under the brand to be launched is the electric sedan, named the ‘XPRES-T’ available at a price tag of Rs. 9.75 lakh. The soon to be made available model will be offered with two Automotive Research Association of India (ARAI) certified range options of 213 km and 165 km. The battery packs onboard are claimed to pack a high energy density of 21.5 kWh and 16.5 kWh and can be charged from 0-80 per cent in 90 mins and 110 mins respectively with the aid of fast charging. A singlespeed automatic transmission, dual airbags, ABS with EBD are kept standard across variants.

Piaggio EV dealership in Cochin

Three-wheeler manufacturer Piaggio has set up a new dealership in Cochin. Dedicated to Electric Vehicles (EVs), the company calls it a smart initiative of showcasing and selling EVs through a one-stopshop solution. Through this dedicated platform, the fourth such EV facility in India, the company is looking to address issues like high acquisition costs and the associated range anxiety. Through the dealerships, Piaggio will offer the ‘Ape E-City FX’ and the ‘Ape EXtra FX’ three-wheeler range. Of the two, the Ape E-City FX is aimed at passenger transportation while the Ape EXtra FX will cater to cargo transportation. Piaggio has also announced one lakh kilometres and or three years ‘Super’ warranty. The company is also offering an exclusive three-year, free maintenance package along with an I-Connect telematics solution for real-time vehicle data tracking for customers interested in leveraging big data for business.

BharatBenz hospital on wheels Mobile hospitals have been the order of the day through the Covid-19 pandemics. Aimed at improving rural India’s accessibility to medical facilities, the Madras Medical Mission has rolled out a smart initiative. It used BharatBenz 1017 bus and transformed it into a ‘Hospital on Wheels’. The wide-body bus was

found to be a good fit for the initiative. BharatBenz 1017 has been customised to incorporate medical infrastructure like the ECG Machine, echo machine, treadmill for a test with electrocardiogram and a defibrillator to serve the rural population across Kerala and Tamil Nadu. Commercial Vehicle www.commercialvehicle.in | August 2021

News

Exports surge in June After a major crash and drag at the peak of the pandemic, exports have shown signs of recovery. Exports have shown a sequential growth month-over-month with restrictions easing across the country. As per the data released by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, exports surged to USD 32 billion in June 2020. It is near 30 per cent growth when compared to the same period last year (June 2020). The surge, attributed to a low base of Q12021 has shown an appetite for recovery. Leading into June 2021, exports grew by 69.7 per cent in May 2021, 193.63 per cent in April and by 60 per cent in March. The upward trajectory is credited to major exporting segments like processed petroleum, electronics, engineering goods besides nonautomotive segments like pharma witnessing an increased trade. The export valuation of road vehicles and parts alone is estimated to be approximately rupees 100.68 crores on a YTD basis for the current fiscal.

New leadership in key industrial ministries A major expansion as part of the Narendra Modi led BJP government’s cabinet reshuffle has translated to key ministries undergoing a change of leadership. Union Minister Dr Mahendra Nath Pandey took charge of the heavy industries ministry. Dharmendra Pradhan assumed charge of the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship as a cabinet minister. In another change, Rajeev Chandrasekhar, Member of Parliament, Rajya Sabha, from Karnataka, took office as the Minister of State (MoS) of Ministry of Skill Development and

Entrepreneurship. Both ministers resolved to create linkages between skilling and employment. Anupriya Patel took over the charge as the Minister of State in the Ministry of Commerce and Industry. Union Minister Narayan Rane assumed charge of the MSME. Ramchandra Prasad Singh took charge of the Ministry of Steel. Raj Kumar Singh took charge of the Ministry of Power and Ministry of New and Renewable Energy. Bhupendar Yadav took charge of the Environment, Forest and Climate change, and the Labour and Employment ministry.

NITI Aayog: High fuel taxation linked to revival of economy Fuel prices have spiralled northwards for some time now. Citing this, Amitabh Kant, CEO of NITI Aayog is known to have expressed his views on the matter directly impacting the transportation sector. He also called for the need of a significant investment, to address the trade deficit owing to high dependency on imports. Advocating the high

taxation on fuel, he is known to have said, it is crucial to ensure there are enough resources to be pumped into reviving the economy amid the Covid-19 pandemic. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude rose 0.33 percent to USD 71.89 per barrel, while Brent crude, the London-based international benchmark, rose 0.27 per cent to USD 73.72 per barrel.

Natrax High-Speed Track The National Automotive Test Tracks (NATRAX) inaugurated a High Speed Test (HST) track in Indore. Touted as the largest test track in the world, the four-lane track is 11.3 kilometres long and is Asia’s longest track. The track will be used for the development and homologation of multiple vehicle

Commercial Vehicle August 2021 | www.commercialvehicle.in

segments, from passenger cars to heavy commercial vehicles. Each track will enable vehicle original equipment manufacturers to conduct coast down tests, brake tests, constant speed fuel consumption tests, speedometer calibration, noise and vibration tests and mileage accumulation among others.

News

NH construction peaks during second wave

The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) is claimed to have achieved a total construction of 2,284 kilometres of National Highways (NH) during the first quarter of FY2022. An increase of 25.28 per cent compared to the same period last year, despite covid challenges, as per Nitin Gadkari, Minister of

Road, Transport and Highways (MoRTH). He also reminded how India had already created a world record by constructing a 2.5 km, fourlane concrete road in just 24 hours, and a 26 km singlelane bitumen road in just 21 hours. The construction pace of 36.5 km per day is said to be a testimony to this surge

MTech in Defence Technology The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has launched a regular MTech program in defence technology in partnership with the All India Council of Technical Education (AICTE). Aero Technology, Communication systems and sensors, directed energy technology and high energy materials technology are among the courses on offer. Students can look forward to conducting their main thesis works in DRDO laboratories, Defence PSUs and industries. Babasaheb Neelkanth Kalyani congratulated DRDO and AICTE for initiating the program as he highlighted its importance for creating a talent pool for defence technology in line with the government’s ‘Atma Nirbhar Bharat’ programme. Aimed at motivating aspiring engineers, the program can be conducted at any AICTE affiliated Institutes and Universities, IITs, NITs or private engineering institutes. The program will be adapted for both online and offline mediums.

450 GW renewable energy by 2030 Accounting 38 per cent of India’s total energy sources, renewable energy in India is expected to surpass 175 GW by 2022. Aiming for a hydrogen and gas-based economy, Union Minister Nitin Gadkari has stressed on the need to develop infrastructure to benefit from mass scale production of hydrogen. Priced at Rs.880 per kilogram, Gadkari cited the need to bring down costs to under Rs.100 per kilogram if India were to succeed in its mission. India is ranked fifth on overall installed capacity, and with government supportive policies and initiatives, the country is aiming to surpass 450 GW by 2030. International Solar Alliance (ISA), established in 2015 as a joint initiative by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the President of France aims at bringing together a group of nations to endorse clean energy, sustainable environment and public transport.

Commercial Vehicle August 2021 | www.commercialvehicle.in

News

Maharashtra EV roadmap Following in the footsteps of other states, Maharashtra has announced its new EV policy. Setting an ambitious target of 10 per cent for all Battery Electric Vehicles (BEV) registrations by 2025, the policy was approved by the Maharashtra cabinet on July 04, 2021. A further bifurcation means that the BEV universe in 2025 will comprise 10 per cent of two-wheelers, 20 per cent three-wheelers and five per cent four-wheelers with at least 25 per cent of the urban fleet operated by fleet operators or aggregators in e-commerce. The government is aiming for 25 per cent electrification in public transport and is looking to convert 15 per cent of the existing Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) fleet to EVs by 2025. State Environment Minister Aaditya Thackeray mentioned, “Maharashtra is one of the leading states in the country, in vehicle manufacture, and we intend to continue on this path. With the incentives that we are offering to manufacturers along with the existing infrastructure in the state, and considering the urban population which might be interested in electric vehicles, we expect manufacturers to prioritise Maharashtra.” The policy grants benefits under the ‘D+’ category to mega projects for all industries irrespective of the location of the manufacturing unit in the state. As per the policy, incentives will apply from the date of notification of the

policy and will be disbursed through the labour, industry and energy departments. Aimed at addressing both the supply-side and the demand-side, customers can look forward to availing the exemption from road tax along with registration charges for their EVs. Other initiatives include forming an EV fund and appointing a secretariat to monitor policy implementation on a daily basis. It will also look to set up a giga factory for manufacturing advanced chemistry cell batteries besides promoting R&D, innovation and skill development.

India’s largest public vehicle charging station EV charging solutions provider Magenta has inaugurated the country’s largest public EV charging station in Navi Mumbai. The facility includes 17 AC chargers ranging from 3.5-7.5 kW. It also includes a DC charging station that supports 15-50 kW charging. EV owners will be able to track a vehicle’s battery status through Magenta’s ChargeGrid App during overnight charging. Subhash Desai, Minister of Industries and Mining, Maharashtra, said, “Under our draft EV Policy 2021, we aim to bring at least 1,46,000 new Battery-operated Electric Vehicles (BEVs) on state roads by 2025, estimated to comprise about 10 per cent of all new vehicle registrations by that time.” “We support our very own local start-ups like Magenta to drive the adoption of EVs in the state and in the country and soon globally,” he added. The newly set up charging station is also in line with the centre’s plan to set up 4,00,000 charging stations to cater to two million EVs expected to be on road by 2026. The

Commercial Vehicle August 2021 | www.commercialvehicle.in

charging station to BEVs ratio is at 1800 to 16200 including the fleet vehicles.

News

MSRTC wants to break even Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation, (MSRTC) is reportedly weighed under a huge loss. Attributed to the fuel prices eating a chunk of operational costs, the loss is pegged at rupees two crores per day according to Maharashtra Transport Minister Anil Parab. In his recent visit to the regional workshops and two bus stations he figured the loss of rupees 6500 crore. This is inclusive of rupees 2750 crore owing to the direct impact of the pandemic induced restrictions. To overcome the losses, as per the minister, MSRTC has opened an alternative revenue stream wherein it uses the buses for cargo transportation. A total of 1,100 buses have been deployed for it with an aim to raise the strength to 2,200 in the next six months.

Patent for a tractor 4WD changeover control Takeji Tanaka from the Advanced Engineering Department, Mitsubishi Mahindra Agriculture Machinery Co. Ltd., has received the Shimane Governor Award patent for his innovation. Tanaka has developed an automatic 4WD changeover control. Setting out to improve fuel economy in tractors, where up until now, the driver was responsible for switching between the 2WD and 4WD modes, it removed the need to intervene manually. The 4WD changeover works so that the tractor automatically shifts from 2WD to 4WD when deemed appropriate thereby making the drive more efficient. It also reduces

Commercial Vehicle August 2021 | www.commercialvehicle.in

the unstable state of the vehicle, which occurs due to the slippage of the tractor while running, and by improving complex operations for the switch, it enables safe and secure operating conditions. Notably, tractors will now be able to intelligently calculate the rotation ratio of the rear wheels (which are the driving wheels) and the front wheels (which are nondriving wheels) to make the switch. The control unit will use its memory feed with the last rotation ratio to regulate any unnecessary changeover. The invention is being hailed as a big breakthrough and promises to offer an enhanced farming experience.

Discount for DTC commuters Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) wants its customers back. In a bid to add traffic and adhere to Covid-19 protocols, a special cluster scheme has been rolled out. DTC passengers can look forward to availing a ten per cent discount on tickets. Delhi Transport minister Kailash Gahlot attributed the initiative to the success of an earlier pilot initiative. “When we launched the common mobility card in 2018, we saw a large number of private car users shift to public transport. I am hoping that the state-ofthe-art buses, with increased surveillance and safety features and right incentives like the ones we are offering through e-ticketing apps. and the Common Mobility card, will do the same.” To avail the discount, the passengers need to log on to the city administration’s ‘One Delhi’ mobile application or other partner apps. approved for the scheme. It is expected that such a scheme will not only encourage people to opt for public transport but in turn play a crucial role in the reduction of road congestion in NCR. The app. additionally facilitates the booking of pink passes allowing women free travel. There is an option to issue monthly or yearly bus passes which can be accessed through a QR code present in the buses.

news

Tata Power partners HPCL for EV infra

Tata Power partnered with Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Ltd. (HPCL) for end-to-end EV charging solutions at HPCL fueling stations. With a network spread across multiple cities and in close proximity to major highways, Tata Power aims for a deeper penetration. It already owns an expansive network of over 500 public chargers in 100 plus cities covering petrol pumps, metro stations, shopping malls, theatres and highways. Known to be present across all segments of the EV eco-system – public charging, captive charging, home, workplace charging and ultra-rapid charging for buses, the move aims to address range anxiety with the network expansion. The partnership is expected to play a crucial role in encouraging EV sales and encouraging interstate travel beyond just city limits.

Navi Mumbai gets a new logistics park Safexpress has launched an ultra-modern logistics park in Navi Mumbai. Strategically located near the Mumbai-Goa Highway 66, the leading supply chain and logistics company will serve as the hub for supply chain and logistics in the region. It is expected to complement the industrial facilities known to exist in the region. Spread across 1.60 lakh sq. ft. the park is equipped with transhipment and third party logistics (3PL) infrastructure. Operations at the park are claimed to have been streamlined to ensure high-speed transit unlike any other region in the country. At any given time, 50 trucks can load or unload goods at a time, thus increasing productivity. Notably, the park has a column-less span of over 80 ft. and

facilitates uninterrupted movement of goods within. To enable all-weather loading and unloading of goods, a 16 ft. wide cantilever shed has been put in place. It also boasts of stateof-the-art firefighting equipment and trained manpower to deal with any emergencies. In green initiatives, the facility utilises rain water harvesting, a special green zone and makes use of natural sunlight to conserve energy consumption.

FedEx Express invests big in Delhivery FedEx Express has invested USD 100 million in homegrown logistics and supply chain startup Delhivery. The company is expected to hit the public markets by early 2022. The investment from FedEx comes as a followup move to the USD 277 million investment raised by the company in a new funding round, co-led by US based Fidelity and Singapore’s sovereign wealth fund GIC. An official joint statement read, “FedEx will transfer certain assets pertaining to its domestic business, in India, to

Delhivery. Additionally, Don Colleran, President and CEO of FedEx Express, will be nominated to join the Delhivery Board of Directors.” The agreement will have Delhivery sell FedEx and FedEx International products and services in the Indian market along with pick-up and delivery services. Delhivery is also in talks with banks such as Citibank, Kotak Mahindra Capital, Bank of America, Merrill Lynch and Axis Capital to raise another USD 650850 million next year. Commercial Vehicle www.commercialvehicle.in | August 2021

News

ZF India four-point strategy ZF Friedrichshafen AG has renewed its focus on India by earmarking a Euro 200 million investment. The company is also looking at a strategic consolidation of its business domains with an eye on the next decade. In a company statement, Dr Holger Klein, ZF Member of the Board responsible for the Asia Pacific and India mentions that despite the pandemic marred fiscal, the company is buoyant of the long-term growth potential in the country. “The refresh fourpoint strategy includes a plan to rapidly grow business in one of the largest automotive markets in the world,” averred Dr Klein. Centred on ‘Readapt’, ‘Reinforce’, ‘Retain’ and ‘Restructure’, through the investment, he added that the company plans to aid this

growth through product launches, manufacturing and engineering footprint expansions. It will also look at hiring and developments across other business domains. The focus areas of the company remains in e-mobility and nextgeneration technology through a global portfolio. It also includes using the racetrack as a testbed for power electronics, electric motor and transmission. Coming off its recent acquisition of Wabco, forming a separate commercial vehicle division, the company expects to be able to increase its content per vehicle. At the same time, the company aims to bolster India as a global sourcing hub across software development, information technology, manufacturing and material sourcing, as per Dr Klein.

Continental India warranty Continental in India has announced the ‘Conti Bharosa’ program. Providing a five-year warranty policy for Truck and Bus Radials (TBR), the program will cover the first retread of tyres used under normal load applications. Globally known for their casing strength and retread ability, the company wants to encourage retreading, a common practice globally and known to be catching up in India. Retreading is believed to save over 50 per cent of the cost of buying a new tyre and the practice is seldom covered in conventional warranty plans. With this warranty, the company wants to showcase its confidence in the strength and durability of the tyres. Considering the tough duty cycles for commercial vehicles, an average tyre of a bus or a truck is said to last up to two or three years. The program aims at transferring long-term benefits with this initiative.

Mobile calibration lab services Godrej & Boyce of the Godrej Group has launched a mobile calibration cab service in the states of Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, Telangana and Karnataka. Aimed at providing on-site calibration services to automobile, aerospace and manufacturing sectors, it will cater to the high precision requirements of these sectors. Xercsis K. Marker, Executive Vice President and Business Head, Godrej Lawkim Motors said, “On surveying our customers, we found out that a large volume of customers face problems in sending their instruments for calibration, and with this insight, we created the service.” The company will offer a high volume of measuring equipment with service provider Godrej Lawkim Motors, a NABL accredited, ISO 17025, calibration laboratory. To carry out 20 services on the go, the company will deploy a custom built van carrying calibration instruments. With a claim of high vibrations damping capability, the company assures

Commercial Vehicle August 2021 | www.commercialvehicle.in

high precision calibration and instrument functionality.

New Launch

Last-mile Cargo Solutions

Omega Seiki Mobility has partnered with Valeo India for last-mile cargo solutions. Prateek Pardeshi looks at the scope of the partnership involving the Rage+ and Rage+ Frost three-wheeler, cargo range.

mall Commercial Vehicles (SCVs) are in vogue! Preferred for inclusion by fleet operators for last-mile delivery, they are also the flag-bearers of all-electric drives. Omega Seiki Mobility (OSM) has a strategy in place to exploit this trend to its advantage. For it to be successful, it has zeroed in on a technical partner in Valeo India (Valeo). The latter will collaborate to build a powertrain especially

suited to the duty cycles of three-wheelers aimed at cargo transportation. OSM, part of the Anglian Omega Group has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Valeo to source the company’s electric powertrains for the ‘Rage+’ and ‘Rage+ Frost’ range. The two partners aim to deliver on the carbon emission reductions through the collaboration.

48V e-powertrain The 48V electric powertrain system manufactured at Valeo’s Pune plant, is known to constitute a reducer, an integrated motor and an inverter to go along with the Powertrain Control Unit (PCU) for OSM’s cargo threewheelers range comprising of ‘Rage+’ and ‘Rage+ Frost. The vehicles under the Rage+ brand, for instance, have already been deployed by several major ecommerce and

Commercial Vehicle www.commercialvehicle.in | August 2021

New Launch

Dr Deb Mukherji, Managing Director at Omega Seiki Mobility

Mr. Uday Narang, Chairman, Anglian Omega Group and Omega Seiki Mobility

Jayakumar G, Group President, Valeo India

logistics companies in India. “We are thrilled to partner with Valeo. This association will allow us to address the core issue of reducing carbon load in the atmosphere, along with providing a sustainable solution for our product line-up,” stated Uday Narang, Chairman, Omega

Seiki Mobility in the company release.

company claims. It translates to a running cost of 0.50 rupees per kilometre. Powered by an IP65 certified 7.5 kWh battery pack with a battery swap option, the vehicle is claimed to be charged in a period of three to four hours using a fast charger. Range+ customers can look forward to a battery life of 2,000 cycles coupled with a three-year or 80,000 km warranty. On the safety front, customers can look forward to inclusions like regenerative braking, roller-cage support structure keeping in mind driver safety, a superior strengthened chassis claimed to be suited to Indian road conditions, and hydraulic braking. Heavy-duty shock absorbers that include a damper plus helical support the front skeleton. The rear gets independent suspensions and dampers too. The company also offers a reefer variant christened ‘Rage+ Frost’ unveiled earlier this year and aimed at

Commercial Vehicle August 2021 | www.commercialvehicle.in

Rage+ Rage+ three-wheeler cargo vehicle with a Gross Vehicular Weight (GVW) of 0.96-tonne and an open carrier box offers a range of 70-80 kilometres on a single charge as per

new Launch pharmaceuticals and food delivery aggregators. Go-to-market strategy The go-to-market strategy of this collaboration entails Valeo offering quick charging and an efficient range. It also entails keeping the Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) low to maximise operator Return on Investment (RoI). To deliver on its promise, Valeo will fall back on its globally tested 48V affordable systems, known to have been launched in 2020. It expects the fully integrated compact 48V electric powertrain system to aid in OSM’s requirement of building affordable small electric commercial vehicles. Besides three-wheelers, the scope of the MoU extends to two-wheelers aimed at both the first and last-mile connectivity requirements pan India. Going beyond the current scope, Valeo and OSM will further collaborate for the latter’s upcoming vehicle models to be manufactured in India. “OSM is taking a holistic approach to not only provide innovative technology in the vehicles but also deliver high-performance vehicles at reasonable running cost through the claimed, state-ofthe-art internal research and development and alliances put in place,” opined Narang. OSM is looking to leverage its partner Valeo’s expertise deemed suited to the target segment of small commercial vehicles. Averred Jayakumar G, Group President, Valeo India, “Omega Seiki will benefit from our deep understanding of not only the electrification technologies but also the

RAGE+ Specification RANGE

70-80kms in Single charge

Cost of Running

0.50/km Rupees

Battery

7.5kWh with IP65 Certification

Charging time

3-4hrs on a Fast Charger

(GVW) Gross Vehicle Weight

0.96 Tonne

Battery Life

2,000 cycles with 80,000kms & 3-yr warranty

Features

Regenerative Braking, rollercage support, a strengthened chassis and hydraulic braking.

Suspension

Front and the Rear get heavyduty shock absorbers & damper plus helical for the front and independent suspensions and dampeners at the rear

unique needs of integrating electric powertrain in the small mobility format of vehicles.” “I am positive that Valeo’s advanced technologies, our strong engineering combined with manufacturing expertise in India will help us to strengthen our partnership and succeed together in this rapidly growing segment,’ he stated. While Valeo’s engineers look to provide the technology integration support aimed at helping OSM accelerate the execution of its go-to-market strategy it is expected to lead to faster commercialisation of the product offering. About the

technology used by OSM for their vehicles to be coupled with the Valeo e-powertrain, added Dr Deb Mukherji, Managing Director at Omega Seiki Mobility, “With a global technology leader like Valeo on board, we would be providing our customers with new generation powertrains which are efficient, use latest technologies in motors, electronics and IoT, and at the same time are cost-effective too.” “That is the essence of any disruptive technology. We are very excited to be working with Valeo to introduce a new range of powertrains in the Indian market,” he concluded.

Commercial Vehicle www.commercialvehicle.in | August 2021

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n the pre-Covid19 days, the new-age bus aggregator and operators plying the luxury coach were expected to look at out of the box inclusions from a technology, safety and comfort perspective. It was to justify the per seat occupancy cost levied on the passenger. Fast forward 16 months and the world has changed. Inclusions that were directly correlated to the per-seat occupancy cost, implying, a higher ticket cost must translate to greater value additions from the fleet operator. It is of utmost priority to convince passengers to consider buses as a smart and safe option for their transportation needs. It’s a sign of a maturing market and a testimony to the supply side reacting to the market pull in a bid to stay relevant. Not just in India, this phenomenon is a trend globally. Smart and safe buses It all started with the need to ensure social distancing and prevent the transmission of Covid19. In the break the chain phase, Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) together with the stage and contract carriers have been forced to reimagine their product and service offerings. OEMs are seen taking the erstwhile concept of fully built buses to the next level. For example, Daimler India Commercial Vehicles has equipped its entire BharatBenz fleet with Covid19 safety features. In a press release, states Karl-

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Alexander Seidel, Chief Executive Officer and Head of Daimler Bus India, Daimler India Commercial Vehicles, “In response to the need of the hour, our BharatBenz bus fleet offers innovative solutions to mitigate virus transmission. These vehicles address people’s apprehensions towards public transport by offering reassuring features in line with Covid19 safety and hygiene protocols.” The new additions include a range of features that are claimed to help prevent the spread of infection. The OEM, to ensure minimal surface contact, has equipped buses with a pneumatic door and hands-free sanitiser. It has also provided a hands-free temperature sensor and foot-operated trash can onboard. In the case of a passenger boarding with a temperature over 100 degrees Fahrenheit, provision has been made to alert the driver. It will also trigger a buzzer sound. In addition, the bus entrance has been furnished with disinfectant mats to clean viruses and dirt

off the feet of the onboarding passengers. BharatBenz ‘BSafe’ badged buses come with two seat cover options. Out of the two, one is an infection-proof cover that retains its anti-virus and anti-bacterial protection for up to 20 washes. The second cover is an easy-to-use disposable cover for passengers who want to avoid sitting on seats previously occupied and prefer a one-time use seat cover. The bus also comes with an Ultraviolet (UV) filter and an air circulation kit. The UV lamp is claimed to kill up to 99.6 per cent of airborne viruses while the air circulation system is said to secure ventilation of fresh air from the outside. The inclusion is said to provide an extra layer of protection against any virus which may have entered the bus despite safety precautions. For driver safety, a glass partition has been placed between the driver’s cabin and the passenger cabin. The

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Karl-Alexander Seidel, Chief Executive Officer and Head of Daimler Bus India, Daimler India Commercial Vehicles

Rohit Srivastava, Vice President, Product Line – Buses, Tata Motors

driver additionally will be provided with a Covid19 safety kit consisting of N95 masks, disinfectant sprays, hand sanitisers, besides anti-bacterial wipes to meet the cabin cleanliness requirements. Commuters can look forward to seeing trash cans placed in the bus. These cans will be designated for waste disposal and be supported with informative posters with safety do’s and don’ts. “By equipping our products with ‘BSafe’ features such as hands-free doors, sanitiser and temperature sensors, we aim to revive the demand for passenger buses in India,” ‘states Seidel. Tata Motors, recently delivered 35 Starbus electric buses, as a part of the larger order of 340 electric buses to Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST). The 12-metre long, 35-seater Tata Starbus AC electric buses are equipped with advanced features for the comfort of the driver and the passengers. For instance, the OEM has provided a ‘Lift Mechanism’ that extends an automated ramp for easy ingress and egress of specially-abled passengers, along with ergonomic seats, roomy interiors, utility provisions like charging ports and wide entry and exit passages. These buses are equipped with Intelligent Transport System (ITS), telematics system, regenerative braking system, amongst other features for efficient and smooth operations. In a press statement, Rohit Srivastava, Vice President, Product Line – Buses, Tata Motors mentions,

Vipin Sondhi, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Ashok Leyland

“The unique ‘One Tata’ initiative will leverage the core proficiencies of various Tata Group companies to offer the best comfort, performance and low cost of operations. The buses are equipped with modern features that will enable ease of use and offer comfort and convenience with roomy interiors and ergonomic seats.” In another example, Haryana roadways resumed its bus service between Gurgaon and Agra in Uttar Pradesh where Volvo buses are among buses in the fleet. It hints at an uptick in inter-state public mobility as well. An hour before the departure, a sanitisation drive will be carried out and passengers will be called in early to avoid any overcrowding. Through the CampX facility in Bengaluru, which is used to spawn new business ideas and collaborations, the Volvo Group’s thrust areas include the development of new commercial transport solutions. At the group level, expect new solutions from the company to fructify since the business transfer agreement with Volvo Eicher Commercial Vehicles (VECV). VECV, on the other hand, continues its thrust on offering a wide range of transport solutions through the Eicher Starline and Skyline range of buses. The OEM is known to have delivered 50 units of 24-seater Eicher CNG buses to Pune Mahanagar Parivahan Mahamandal Ltd (PMPML). All the buses are equipped with the Eicher Live Telematics Solution linking back to the Eicher Uptime centre. SML Isuzu is banking on its Hiroi

Anuj Kumar Sethi, General Manager Marketing of SML Isuzu

SLTHT6 series of school and staff buses. Spacious saloon with wide gangway and full-length hatracks, anti-bacterial laminated fire redundant upholstery, school bag racks are among the standout features. Mahindra Truck and Bus, in its Cruzio bus, for instance, is banking on wider seats and spacious gangway, roomy interiors, wider doors for easy entry and exit, child check-mate feature and iMAXX for tracking the bus as inclusions to meet the demand. Besides, the bus is claimed to adhere to all safety features prescribed by the Regional Transport Office (RTO). Driving demand Higher budget allocation towards fleet upgradation will drive the demand going forward according to Vipin Sondhi, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Ashok Leyland. The demand is further expected to be bolstered with schools reopening in states like Maharashtra by the mid of August 2021. Safety features in school buses will assume significance and hence manufacturers and operators alike are working in the direction ahead of operations commencing. Bus sales are known to have dropped from 80,000 units pre-Covid to 15,000 units in FY2021. In the first quarter of FY22 (Q12022), the industry has sold an estimated 5,000 units. Admitting to not requiring an addition to capacity till the time the segment recovers to pre-Covid levels, the industry is all for making buses smarter and safer. Commercial Vehicle www.commercialvehicle.in | August 2021

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arnatakaheadquartered Bitla Software Pvt. Ltd. (Bitla) is staying true to its genes. The 14-year old Software as a Service (SaaS), cloud and mobile-based solutions company continues to simplify solutions for bus operators across India and the globe. In a pandemic marred tough fiscal year 2021 for the bus operators, the company has left no stone unturned. Through its solutions portfolio it is helping bus operators bounceback. To help bus operators recover and get back to profitability, it is productising proven solutions tested by staying close to its customers, the bus operators

Commercial Vehicle August 2021 | www.commercialvehicle.in

themselves. Averred Santosh AR, Chief Executive Officer at the company, who took over the mantle from his predecessor two years ago, in 2019, “Right from the initial years, we were focused on the bus operators, and especially the private sector and for the long haul. So we are a Business to Business (B2B) technology company who happened to have insights on the bus operations, sheerly due to the number of years we have invested in getting to know our customers. So we haven’t made any changes to that approach.” Under his able leadership, the company has strengthened its technology platform and is diversifying to

new segments and markets. Simplifying bus solutions Acquired by MakeMyTrip, Bitla is a well-oiled and wellfunded company. The online travel company acquired Bitla, in 2018. At that point and time, the milestone acquisition was looked at as a development that would enable the company to rapidly develop and expand its suite of travel focused technology products. Today, the company, remains deeply committed to solving real industry problems while providing exceptional service to customers. No wonder then, as per Santosh, the company commands a

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50 per cent market share in its segment. “We have been aggressively acquiring new operators who are sprouting out in the market. Nearly 75 per cent of the new operators, including the new age bus operators with the aggregator business model have started their business using the Bitla software.” According to Santosh, the company is well differentiated from its competition, focused majorly on the Western and the Southern regions, giving the company an edge with its pan India operations at a domestic level, in comparison. The solutions suite of Bitla comprises a flagship product in ‘TicketSimply’. ‘SimplyBus’, and ‘CargoSimply’ being the other products on offer for bus operators. Of these, ‘TicketSimply’ caters to the passenger segment and provides technologies for bus operators with a Central Reservation System (CRS) for managing routes

Santosh AR, Chief Executive Officer, Bitla Software Pvt. Ltd.

and schedules, tariffs and commissions, branches and agents, bookings and passengers, security and controls, finances among others. It also helps operators to manage bus Global Distribution System (GDS), bus portals, website Content Management Software (CMS) system, and the booking engine and payments platform. Bus operators also stand to benefit from the branded mobile app. builder platform. Among other utilities

are business intelligence and analytics, sales and marketing with campaigns, GPS tracking and passenger alerts functionality. “A small subset of it is the cargo segment, although it’s not our main focus segment,” clarified Santosh. Besides helping with tracking, the product also helps with geo-tagging based value-added services. Geo-tagging is the process of appending geographic coordinates to media based on the location of a mobile device resulting in B2B companies like Bitla offering location-based add-ons. Through ‘SimplyBus’, Bitla helps bus operators to distribute their inventory to agents. Operators in turn benefit from the new found access to agent networks on the bookings front. “We realise that bus operators need highly reliable systems, systems that are scalable, and which are extremely flexible for their operations,”

Commercial Vehicle www.commercialvehicle.in | August 2021

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explained Santosh. Bus operators and all B2B network channels are brought under one platform, where they are known to help one another support their respective businesses. It is claimed to address all the requirements of a B2B network. In line with the productising of proven functions strategy, Bitla offers fully automated, day-today operations, promotions, collections, payments among other functionalities. Through ‘CargoSimply’, Bitla is focused on bus operators who also run cargo operations. In a clear demarcation, the product is not focused on the mainline cargo, it is only focused on bus operators looking at cargo as a subset of their overall operations. The add-on to ‘TicketSimply’, is claimed to simplify bookings, operations, tracking and monitoring of goods that are to be delivered in real time. CargoSimply is said to enhance the way bus operators run their logistics

Commercial Vehicle August 2021 | www.commercialvehicle.in

businesses function, by improving operations and business management with the aid of technology. It helps bus

operators to manage, process, and track a large number of goods across a range of routes. It is also claimed to

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provide accurate data and generate reports on revenue while providing real time communication updates. Diversifying service and reach Drawing inspiration from bus operators, the company has strengthened its offerings, laying a foundation for product diversification and for expanding to new markets. Mentioned Santosh, during these volatile times, the company has taken care to align with the current priority of its customer which happens to be profitability. Hailing bus operators as “resilient entrepreneurs”, Santosh gave the example of nearly 80 per cent of the buses returning on the roads by June 2021 in spite of the seven to eight months of continuous lockdowns, and stringent restrictions on travel. The company is preparing to associate with new and emerging customers in relatively new spheres like

bus cargo transportation. The segment, according to Santosh, is expected to draw investments with the fast improving connectivity and reach courtesy the government impetus on infrastructural development. Opined Santosh, with access to more capital, and the production of smaller transportation vehicles introduced to the market, the smaller cargo players are expected to enter the segment too. He opined that these players would serve the tier 1 and tier 2 regions. Bitla expects new niche players to emerge as a result. Citing how bus operators have also started to explore new routes within their own states, the company expects to benefit from the tailwinds driven by the growth in operator penetration into these regions. Optimistic of the ecommerce bull run benefiting the bus industry too, Santosh made a case for the company’s expansion into global markets by citing the expertise built over the years

in India. Confident of scaling it up internationally, the company is exploring channel sales partnerships in Africa where it is looking to appoint dedicated channel partners. These channel partners will in turn sell Bitla products and services locally. Once the pilot is successful, the company aims to expand it to Southeast Asia, the Middle East, among other markets where it sees a potential for its solutions. The company is also involved with aggregators in the business of transport ondemand and shared mobility wherein it has provided open access to its API kits for operators to build technology extensions and experiences for their users. Of the firm belief in scaling profitably, the company with a sustainable approach to business is closely watching the electrification of buses to align with the evolution. It is also banking on its strong foundation to associate with regional transport and the stage carriers.

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Q& A

Santosh AR,

Chief Executive Officer, Bitla Software Pvt. Ltd.

Productising Proven Functionality Ashish Bhatia

Q. Take us through the evolution of the business model at Bitla Software since you took over as the Chief Executive Officer. Post the Makemytrip acquisition, what are the current focus segments for the company? A. Bitla Software is a 14-yearold organisation. So my journey, of course, started only two years back. Right from the initial years, we were focused on the bus operators, and especially the private sector and for the long haul. So we are a Business to Business (B2B) technology company who happened to have insights on the bus operations, sheerly due to the number of years we have invested in getting to know our customers. So we haven’t made any changes to that approach. We have only ensured a greater focus on gaining technical expertise and utilising it for products as our core offerings to the bus operators. Our focus has been to productise our services, which will, in turn, help our customers to benefit from the proven functionality. We have sharpened our value system internally. To ensure everyone in the organisation is focused on helping the bus operators succeed. So much so that our revenue model is aligned with that value system. Our revenues are directly proportional to the revenues of our customers as a testament to our commitment. Q. What are some of the key services and flagship

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products that you offer to this target group of bus operators? Any milestones or invaluable lessons learnt especially since you joined in a very challenging environment? A. In the last 15 months, travel has been heavily impacted, just like many of the other sectors as we all know. The milestones have been replaced by goals for survival. And we have done that very well and will continue at it. In fact, times are changing for the good for us. For instance, we are hiring a batch of fresh graduates. We have used the last 15 months to strengthen our technology and internal support processes so that it helps our customers to come back stronger as they stage a recovery. So as far as our flagship products go, there are four products. The first is ‘TicketSimply’ which caters to the passenger segment. A small subset of it is the cargo segment, although it’s not our main focus segment. We help operators with tracking, which helps to track the location of buses and offers other value-added services related to their locations. Through ‘AgentSimply’, we help bus operators to distribute their inventory to agents to in turn benefit from the agent networks on the bookings front. We realise that bus operators need highly reliable systems, systems that are scalable, and which are extremely flexible for their operations. These systems must always be available, and of course, usable by everyone in their

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Industry Talk organisation. So we have doubled up on our efforts during the last 15 months to ensure that our products are made to be reliable, simple to use, and extremely flexible. Because when our customers come back after a long period, they really are looking for these kinds of technologies to support their business to grow again. Q. What is the lifecycle journey with different customer segments like? What are the different stages where you handhold them? A. We handhold the customers right from the initial stages of onboarding. From the time we onboard them, we help them migrate their existing data onto our platform. This includes their passenger data, their routes, their data on Online Travel Agents (OTAs), besides other miscellaneous data that they may have to ensure they are up and running on day one of migration into our platform. And once they are on our platform, we open up all the sales channels. So they are enabled to sell their inventory, digitise sales inventory in various different forms, either through OTAs or through their own digital storefronts or at the agent’s end. Once they are able to sell, we also help them to ensure internal efficiency. This could pertain to their workings across branches, and across accounting, internal processes or other bus operations. Things like the bus drivers being able to communicate to the admins or money collection from the agents. So we help them to ensure that our technologies on offer are adopted by all of them. While we ensure the smooth running of their business as usual, for instance, a well-oiled sales channel we also facilitate the use of big data to improve the overall efficiencies and thus their operations as a whole.

A. We have a pan India presence well spread out across all the states. Through strategic partnerships, we have expanded to international markets like Indonesia, Malaysia, Chile, and Columbia. And soon we’ll also be getting into new markets like Peru and Nigeria. To give you a sense of scale, we serve around 1100 bus operators in India and around 300 domestic carriers in other countries. We used to serve about 15,000 active buses on our platform on a daily basis. So to answer your other part of the question, if you just leave aside the lockdown periods, right after wave one, and before wave two, from November 2020 to February 2021. Even after the second wave, in the month of June 2021. we’ve been aggressively acquiring new operators who are sprouting out in the market. Nearly 75 per cent of the new operators, including the new age bus operators with the aggregator business model have started their business using Bitla Software. Yes, we do have competitors. However, not really at an all India scale. Our competitors are regional. They’re focused in the western and the southern regions, for instance.

“In the last 15 months, travel has been heavily impacted, just like many of the other sectors as we all know. The milestones have been replaced by goals for survival.”

Q. How did business cycles perform over the past five to eight quarters? How did you compare to the competition in the same timespan?

Q. How did business dynamics change leading into Covid-19 and what’s the status like in the break the chain phase? A. Look, these are very, very tough times for bus operators and the travel industry. So there have been several months without revenue for bus operators. And now, moratorium periods have also ended from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) in April. It’s time for our bus operators to pay back, including the interest on all the accrued interests that have not been waived off. However, I have seen that bus operators are resilient entrepreneurs. In fact, we take inspiration from them. If, for example, in the month of December 2020, in spite of seven to eight months of continuous lockdowns, and restrictions of travel, nearly 80 per cent of the buses Commercial Vehicle www.commercialvehicle.in | August 2021

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were back on the road by June 2021. Over June 2021 and in July up until this point, we’ve seen an estimated 50 per cent average recovery across India. Whenever we see recovery take place, I’m confident that the bus operators will find means to bounce back. In this kind of scenario, they will be much more sceptical about new additions to their fleet or routes. So, understandably, they are waiting and watching passenger demand closely. They are hoping for demand to pick up so that they can start operating profitably. Pre-Covid19, let’s assume they were in an expansion mode. During these times, the focus is on profitability and preventing more debts from accumulating.

and expenses. For example, the drivers and agents through a mobile app. can on the move, keep a tab on their bookings and gain, and get access to real-time visibility of passengers boarding the occupied seats. It also gives access to full visibility of the cash flow between the branch offices, especially for the large scale operators. Cash flow can also be tracked between the agents and the head office. This adds a layer of transparency to accounts operations. Operators can further easily spot the payment differences in OTA records with reports. ‘CargoSimply’ is our product which is focused for bus operators who also run cargo. It is not focussed on the mainline cargo only transporters. So we don’t have a product for them. We only have ‘CargoSimply’ for the cargo operations of bus operators who also ferry cargo not exclusively though. It’s relatively new where I would like to reiterate that our focus is on the bus operators who also carry cargo rather than offer cargo transportation as a full service. It can be looked at as an add-on to ‘TicketSimply’ focussed primarily on passenger transportation. Our third product with a tracking goal helps bus operators to track the bus location in real-time. So, in combination with the other two products discussed, it offers very interesting use cases for bus operators to optimise their operations. ‘SimplyBus’ to facilitate bus operators to distribute their inventory to agents in order to be able to benefit from the agent network to get additional bookings.

“Nearly 75 per cent of the new operators, including the new age bus operators with the aggregator business model have started their business using Bitla Software.”

Q. Would you agree that services continue to do better than manufacturing as a whole in the context of reforms the country has witnessed over the past few decades? A. That’s a very broad question. Depending on what’s the definition of services, if you’re referring to non-touch and feel goods, as services, yes, broadly, we can say Software as a Service (SaaS) does fall into this bracket. Technology services, where we work, have grown vastly as compared to most manufacturing units where there is a dependency on touch and feel.

Q. Tell us in-depth about your product offerings including the flagship for the benefit of bus operators? A. ‘TicketSimply’ is our flagship product. Through it, bus operators can manage the passenger ticketing side of their business, end-to-end. As more sales channels connect to hotel booking channels, open all digital storefronts, they can look forward to seat fares being dynamically optimised. They can use it to launch their own marketing campaigns and expand business by appointing more booking agents. By optimising costs, they can improve their savings and in turn improve their profitability. It also facilitates monitoring at the branch level performance on fronts like bookings, cancellations

Commercial Vehicle August 2021 | www.commercialvehicle.in

Q. How do you foresee the evolution of the business of bus cargo transportation compared to passenger transportation? A. Actually, cargo is a very small part of our business. Like I said earlier, we focus more on the passenger side. So I might have limited knowledge to share on this. But in my own limited view, cargo, I know as an industry, is growing. The government has formally recognised this

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sector with its inclusion in one nation one tax regime since April this year. So we expect bus operators to look at expanding to multiple states. They are no longer restricted to run buses in the state where they have paid the road taxes. With the rising focus on building the National Highways (NH) network and increased spending on infrastructure development, the sector is bound to attract more investments. I expect more players and alternate business models to emerge in related spheres.

access to more capital, and the production of smaller transportation vehicles introduced to the market, smaller cargo players are expected to enter the market and it is these players who would serve the tier 1 and tier 2 regions. We expect new niche players to emerge and it’s an interesting change unfolding. Digitisation has accelerated in the aftermath of the pandemic across the board. So we are seeing more and more passengers from tier 2, tier 3 towns making online bookings today. So that’s on the rise. And secondly, because of the restrictions on transportation of buses across the states, etc., bus operators have also started to explore new routes within their own states leading to increased penetration into the tier 2 and tier 3 regions. So, we expect, going forward, these tailwinds will bring about a higher demand and more supply from tier 2 and tier 3 regions.

“Digitisation has accelerated in the aftermath of the pandemic across the board. So we are seeing more and more passengers from tier 2, tier 3 towns making online bookings today.”

Q. Does the business scope vary from urban metros to tier cities? A. I think with respect to cargo, mainly the constraints are around the road infrastructure and the ability to buy large vehicles for building a scale. Typically, therefore, you will see that cargo is led by the large players up until now. Now, with

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Q. Are you seeing green shoots despite the threat of the recurring waves looming large? A. Absolutely. As I said, the pandemic has forced digital adoption in a big way. We all know as users, ecommerce has benefited immensely. This is bound to have a positive impact on the bus industry also. Hence, so far bus operators who were not really tech-savvy, have also been forced to use digital products over the last 15-16 months. And also their staff, the drivers, the admins as part of the ecosystem. So technology will find easier ways into their hands in the future. The demand from tier regions is a big plus. These are all green shoots for our industry, which will stage a bigger recovery as restrictions fade out with a higher rate of vaccination.

fiscal helped you convince your prospect partners to adopt the advancements in technology? A. Yes, there is a segment of bus operators who still operate offline. So with more digital adoption their search for revenue streams in these difficult times has translated to them being more eager to find different sales channels. Our solutions give them instant access to such digital storefronts and interfaces, on mobile. It also gives them access to all the booking agents networks. There is a visible trend of increased digital adoption and we are onboarding more offline operators at a much better rate compared to the past, the pre-pandemic period.

“There is a visible trend of increased digital adoption and we are onboarding more offline operators at a much better rate compared to the past, the pre-pandemic period.”

Q. How do you expect business to pan out internationally across the different countries that you operate in? A. We will expand into countries where we can take our expertise built over the years in India and apply it elsewhere internationally, where we feel there is a high potential for it. We are exploring channel sales partnerships in Africa by appointing channel partners. These channel partners will in turn sell our products and services locally. We will then be able to expand this model to other countries like Southeast Asia, the Middle East, Africa and so on. Q. Are you also involved with aggregators in the business of transport on-demand and shared mobility? A. Yes, all aggregator bus operators have started their operations with a few exceptions. We have interesting experiences working with them. For instance, we have opened a product with open APIs for them to build technology extensions and experiences for their users. We have further strengthened our data security and privacy norms to ensure this data set is only accessible by bus operators and nobody else, not even us. Q. Has accelerated digitisation witnessed in the last

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Q. The bus industry continues to be impacted with the most difficult 15 odd months it has seen especially the private bus fleet operators. How would you like to reassure private bus fleet operators operating offline to allocate resources for such an upgrade in technology? Q. In the short term it’s all about profitability. Yes, a lot has happened over the past 15 odd months and it has been a question of just survival. It’s about wisely choosing routes and the number of buses to deploy from a bus operators’ view to ensure there is profitability. In the long run, however, technology will continue to take centrestage. It’s a common denominator across industries today. Bus operators are open to making technology their core enabler not just on the sales side but also on their internal operations front. It is directly correlated to their efficiency and the customer success or customer relationship management. Q. While helping operators with data, how do you help them deal with business volatility? For a bus operator, it’s all about balancing profitability and occupancy ratio isn’t it? A. Our products provide extensive reporting using which bus operators can analyse data from their own business. So, for instance, revenue, expenses can be captured from

Cover story

an operations point of view at all levels. It could be at the level of the bus, the route, the branch or at the hub level. They stand to gain easy visibility across the spectrum. Occupancy reports enable them to predict trends. It aids in decision making, for instance, the number of buses to allocate. The data is available in easy to analyse reports with sufficient insights to help optimise business. Bus operators who have used these solutions have been far more profitable compared to those relying on gut feel for decision making. Q. How are you contributing to making bus travel safer with the innovation of contactless services that were unheard of until recently? A wake-up call to passengers in buses for example is a very well thought of inclusion! A. We can do as much as technology allows us to do. In fact, we have analysed all the touchpoints of passengers in their journey of interacting with the bus operators. Right from when they start the booking process to the time they get to the boarding point to boarding the bus and finally alighting from the bus. Through technology we have helped eliminate the touchpoints like providing the ability to block seats with compliance to social distancing for when passengers actually board the bus. This is automated for the bus operator. It can be configured on our platform and all channels that the operator uses will deliver on that front. When passengers are onboarded, there is a possibility of commuters finding themselves in close proximity with other passengers, while getting their tickets validated. We have provided scanners to the bus crew with a QR code scanning ability. All tickets will carry these codes devised to eliminate a potentially harmful touchpoint. While technology can provide only so much, bus operators are going beyond by sanitising buses to ensure a safe ride for their passengers. It has translated to a better bookings ratio in turn over these past months. In another initiative, we devised

the wakeup call for passengers boarding the bus at night where their stops are reached in the wee hours of the morning. In comparison to bus attendants physically waking up the passengers by coming in close proximity, we use technology to provide a timely and an automated call to the passenger. Q. Beyond the large acquisition by MakeMyTrip, is there a further fundraising or consolidation exercise on the horizon or are you content? A. We are very happy where we are. We are fully funded to operate on both technology innovation and the scaling up aspect. Yes, funding is needed by other startups. We also believe in scaling profitably. It’s slower growth but we believe it’s a more sustainable way to approach business.

Bus operators who have used these solutions have been far more profitable compared to those relying on gut feel for decision making.

Q. How do you expect to leverage the wave for electrification in buses? A. We are hearing about a lot of these investments. We are in touch with such growing companies although we think it is a gradual curve especially with the current stress and the Covid19 induced distorted demand. As far as aligning with electrification, it’s a work in progress and we are evaluating our role in it. We don’t expect it to impact our technology at this point and time but we are still in the learning phase. Q. What are you taking forward from this pandemic marred fiscal and what’s the outlook for the foreseeable future? A. We have used the pandemic marred fiscal, to strengthen our technology platform. Our core offering to bus operators. We are also building in anticipation to make an entry to RTCs and the stage carrier segments. We have also worked to reduce our turnaround times by strengthening our internal support processes. Our sales teams are better trained to articulate our values to the customers. I think we’ve used this time very well. We will continue to be very aggressive in India and we look forward to expanding internationally. Commercial Vehicle www.commercialvehicle.in | August 2021

In focus

Into The Future: FY22 And Beyond The future looks bright for the Indian CV industry despite the disruptions. Shyam Maller looks at how the ecosystem is buckling up for FY2022 and keeping the wheels moving.

“The future is completely open and we are writing it a moment to moment” Pema Chodron

he last three years have brought torrid times for the CV industry and the cohorts in the ecosystem. The Covid-19 pandemic that was a veritable final nail in the coffin for businesses in FY2021, has continued to torment the industry into the first quarter of the financial year 2022 (Q1FY22) as well as through the second wave of the pandemic. The Q1FY22 (AprJun’ 2021) sales were down by nearly 61 per cent compared to

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Q4FY21 (Jan-Mar 21). (Refer to Chart A). There have been truly very significant lessons that have been learnt of managing resources with better speed, quality, cost optimisation leading to better efficiency and productivity. Going forward, it is critical to broaden and deepen the transformation that has been kickstarted and particularly with the impending transition from diesel to new fuels including the transition

to electrification and hydrogen fuel cells. The skill sets and the strategy to navigate and lead in the ‘New Normal’. So, let’s take a peek at what bodes for us and the CV industry in the year ahead and what are the areas that we need to be cognizant of and strategise actions. Rise of digital Every adversity, hidden therein, is an opportunity waiting to be tapped. The

in focus INDUSTRY VOLUME CONTRACTION Q1 FY22 vs Q4 FY 21 (APR-JAN JAN-MAR)

-58.2% -70.7% -58% -73.9% -59% -60.9%

TOTAL CV I&LCV M&HCV BUSES SCV DOMESTIC CV EXPORTS

-24.3%

M&HCV SEGMENTWISE TIV CONTRACTION Q1 FY22 vs Q4 FY 21 (APR -JAN JAN-MAR)

-58.5% -53.6% -55.5% -61.2% -61.9%

M&HCV TOTAL 18.5 T GVW (4X2R) MAV TIPPERS TRACTORS (Refer to Chart A).

pandemic, as it engulfed us fast-forwarded the adoption of digital. It accelerated customer acquisition through online and digital marketing. It helped better engagement with customers, improved lead generation effectiveness, enhanced Customer Experience (CX) in the virtual mode via quicker responses and resolution of customer complaints. About 23 per cent of marketers looked at digital

transformation as a new channel for customer outreach and nearly 48 per cent said it was for outreach including sales, marketing and service. Companies are now using analytical models at every stage of the purchasing cycle viz from lead generation, product recommendation to customers, sales forecasting, customer retention to name a few. Customer segmentation is further honed to the customer persona level and when it is integrated into the customer life cycle, it can yield excellent results in the form of better lead conversion. Post pandemic, companies have moved away from the generic media options and successfully leveraged digital thereby significantly optimising

and improving customer experience as well as the cost of customer acquisition. And as we emerge out of the pandemic, phygital (the means to bridge the physical world with the digital aimed at providing unique interactive experiences) will be the new mantra for companies and channel partners. Investment into reskilling of the sales force as well as in the service workshop area ,both at the OEM’s and at dealerships to embrace digital tools will only facilitate higher productivity and lower the staff costs . Large, swanky showrooms are going to witness scaling down and smaller touchpoints are expected to proliferate. The disruptive model of the “agency sales” of dealerships

Commercial Vehicle www.commercialvehicle.in | August 2021

In focus are going to gain currency. With a clear objective of offering seamless customer experience across brick and mortar worlds, ensuring a consistent brand salience and most importantly price transparency. Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) and dealerships, particularly post-pandemic are rethinking their sales structure and network strategies faced with increasing competitive pressure, rising costs and thinning margins. eCommerce: Co-creating for growth The E-retail market is expected to continue its strong growth - it registered a CAGR of over 35 per cent to reach Rs.1.8 trillion (USD 25.75 billion) in FY20. Over the next five years, the Indian e-retail industry is projected to exceed an estimated 300-350 million shoppers, propelling the online Gross Merchandise Value (GMV) to USD 100-120 billion by 2025. The Indian online grocery market is estimated to reach USD 18.2 billion in 2024 from USD 1.9 billion in 2019, expanding at a CAGR of 57 per cent. India’s e-commerce order volumes increased by 36 per cent in the last quarter of 2020. As a result, this mega business not only offers scope for trucks (SCVs) for the last mile distribution but also for cargo vehicles from LCVs, ICVs as well as M&HCVs. The MNC players like Amazon and Flipkart who straddle the e-Com market have outlined their serious intentions to adopt EVs and this is an opportunity that Auto OEMs are ( and have to work ) working closely with

Commercial Vehicle August 2021 | www.commercialvehicle.in

and co-create transportation solutions. There is a flurry of activity around three-wheeler EVs with companies like Mahindra, Piaggio jostling with technology startups like Euler Motors, Altigreen etc. for offering efficient and affordable last-mile logistics solutions. Clearly for these MNC’s, it is about ESG and aspiring to be ahead of the curve when it comes to carbon neutrality and zero emissions. Critical to the success of eV companies will be how they go beyond just the product

and the entire ecosystem around it to quell the various concerns and anxiety around electric mobility, the cost, performance and TCO metrics. Following three-wheelers in the EV space will be lastmile SCVs like Tata Ace that is expected to electrify the segment( pun intended). However, technology and the cost of batteries besides the charging infrastructure will need to be addressed and in this direction, the OEMs will have to piggyback on

in focus partnerships with technology startups. Construction and mining—Digging deep Tippers, and particularly, multiaxle tippers have been the leading variants in the M&HCV segment in FY21 accounting for nearly 41.5 per cent of the total TIV. And with the massive infrastructure investments by the government as well as vibrant growth in the steel and cement sectors, CV OEMs should be doubling down on engaging with the key players in this segment. Vehicle reliability that translates into uptime will be a significant differentiator for CV brands. This segment will once again be (in tandem with MAVs) leading the resurgence of M&HCV growth in the coming two to three years. The trucks for this sector in BSVI have got more robust and powerful in terms of power and torque besides being more reliable and durable, segmentwise. Connected trucks and uptime promise BSIV and BSVI trucks are technologically more advanced than their predecessors and are equipped with an advanced Engine Management System (EMS) consisting of ECU/ECM and a plethora of sensors for the driveline and exhaust. The truck can be remotely linked through telematics and allows customers to check and analyse vital vehicle information in real-time via an online portal, including vehicle location and health, besides fuel mileage, ad blue consumption etc. Fleet managers can optimise driver

performance, improve fuel efficiency, and reduce downtime. Fleet operators will want the OEM to provide them with an insight into what the vehicle life-cycle cost will be, and intune with their business and the application area in which their vehicle is deployed. This will lead to further digitisation. Connected CVs and a host of services supporting digitisation will grow. This would include real-time driver training and driver behaviour monitoring;

geo-fencing, fuel consumption, safety and security, preventive maintenance among others. Those OEMs that can speedily customise a robust Application Programming Interface (API) for their customers will be at an advantage. An API allows the customer to secure information, data and insights through connectivity. For sensitive applications like pharma, vaccine, perishable and refrigerated goods, connectivity is already proving

Commercial Vehicle www.commercialvehicle.in | August 2021

In focus

to be of much importance, in line with the reliability of fleets on asset efficiencies. Predictive maintenance and remote diagnostics, that alerts a driver in time and before any failure will be a major differentiator for an OEM in living up to the promise of maximum uptime and seen as an immense value by fleet operators. Higher tonnage MAV haulage trucks to lead the way Consequent to the implementation of GST and the emergence of large warehouses across strategic locations of the country, the Hub and Spoke model has accelerated the adoption and sale of heavier multi-axle trucks. If we analyse the MAV truck sales in 2018-19, 201920 and 2020-21, there is clear evidence that the 42-tonne and 49-tonne GVW MAVs have gained ascendancy over the 28-tonne and 35-tonne

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GVW. The 42-49-tonne GVW segment accounts for close to 50 per cent of the overall haulage MAV segment sales. A similar transition is seen in the construction/soft mining tippers where the 6x4 tippers ( 28.5-tonne GVW) are seeing a shift to 8x2 tippers (35-tonne GVW). The primary driver for this transition being the favourable cost per tonne per km for the higher GVW trucks.

Leveraging aftermarket differentiation and responsiveness In these extenuating circumstances, OEM’s and dealers will need to invest further into digitisation to raise their service standards as well as upskill their technicians to deliver the First Time Right (FTR) diagnosis and repair. With CV OEMs pushing for long term maintenance

in focus

contracts and time-guaranteed repairs, dealers will have little alternative but to invest in delivering a heightened customer experience. They will also be prudent to invest in smaller, satellite facilities to increase their customer reach. There is anecdotal data that has been gathered from almost the entire spectrum of CV dealerships that the workshop business has in several places even crossed the prepandemic levels. Surely, the more organised dealerships are focusing on getting the aftersales absorption ratio to cross the 85 per cent level ( the aftersales absorption ratio shows a dealership how much of the company’s fixed costs are covered by aftersales revenue). Gas is the future India’s commitment to the

Paris pledge, to reduce carbon footprint by 33-35 per cent from its 2005 levels by 2030 is cast in stone. On the one hand, while the two-wheeler, threewheeler and car segments are gravitating towards BEVs, PHEVs, the CV segment especially and the I&LCVs are ideally expected to switch to CNG in the short/medium term. The growing footprint of CNG stations is now expected to spread from the North to the West and down South. CNG stations are expected to grow from the current level of 2200 stations to 10,000 over the next eight to 10 years and the current user base of 3.5 million vehicles will surge to new highs. The Govt is aiming to make gas account for 15 per cent of the energy mix by 2025 from the current level of 11 per cent. The natural gas demand

is set to grow significantly at a CAGR of 6.8 per cent till 2030. It is estimated that CNG penetration in Light & Medium Duty (LMD) trucks is expected to rise from nine per cent of the TIV to about 30 per cent by 2030. OEMs are vying with each other to offer CNG trucks beyond the conventional five, seven, nine, 12-tonne GVW and expand to 16-tonne GVW trucks. With CNG priced at Rs.49.40/kg compared to Diesel at Rs.97.45/litre in Mumbai, it is a no brainer for truck operators in regional distribution to switch to CNG trucks. In FY21, CV OEMs have seen the share of sales of CNG I&LCV trucks ( five to 16-tonne GVW) catapult in double-digit and it now constitutes nearly 45 per cent of total sales of I&LCV. This segment is once again in FY22 expected to

Commercial Vehicle www.commercialvehicle.in | August 2021

In focus report double-digit growth in FY22 as well and the be the segment to watch out for. For Long haul trucks, and incorporating the learnings from the boom in LNG Heavy Duty trucks in China, the Govt. of India through GAIL, Petronet LNG and the public sector oil companies is investing Rs.10,000 crores to set up 1000 LNG stations on the Golden Quadrilateral (GQ) across major highways, industrial corridors and mining sector over the next three years. This will require the OEM’s to develop larger engines to power trucks and buses for interstate long haul operations. As part of the green makeover of long haul trucks and buses, the govt has set a target of moving eight to 10 lakh trucks and buses ( either new or retrofitted ) to LNG by 2035. Not only is LNG environmentally friendly with literally nil sulphur dioxide emissions while nitrogenous emissions are sharply reduced by 85 per cent. As compared to CNG, LNG refuelling time is shorter and the typical range for a tankful of LNG is nearly 700-750 kms making it suitable for long haul operations. The payback period for the higher initial investment in an LNG truck is between three to four years, given the savings of nearly two lakhs rupees per annum on fuel costs compared to diesel trucks. The operating cost of LNG trucks is expected to lower fuel bills by nearly 40 per cent compared to diesel. It is, therefore, no surprise that large steel, coal and mining companies who have very large trucks and tipper fleets

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are keen on working with the PSU oil majors to have LNG supplies delivered which can be the lever for conversion of their diesel trucks to LNG. Shared Mobility and e-buses FY22 for the bus industry, in all likelihood, will be a repeat of FY21 with the school bus demand aborted due to the ripple effects of the pandemic. And with continued apprehension of travelling in public service, tourist buses till the vast majority of the population is vaccinated, fresh demand for buses will be a challenge. The only silver lining surrounding buses, in FY 22, is the union budgetary outlay of Rs.18,000 crore for State Transport Undertakings (STUs) to induct around 20,000 buses through the PPP model. We will witness more and more STUs opting to switch to CNG buses that not only meet the BSVI emission norms but are also lower on operating costs

vis-a-vis diesel and far lower on acquisition cost vis-a-vis electric buses. It will be both technology-intensive and enterprising. Already one of two STUs is operating CNG buses ( retrofitted ) as also released tenders for conversion of diesel to CNG and operating these buses on an OPEX model. We could also see some of the STUs go in for replacement of the over 15-year-old buses ( under the Scrappage policy ) but that is slated post, April 01’ 2022. In the recent partial modification of the FAME II scheme, Energy Efficiency Services Ltd (EESL) has been mandated to aggregate the demand of nine cities (with greater than four million population) on an OPEX basis. It is intending to bring down the prices of the buses. Fame-II was launched under the National Mission for Clean Mobility to generate demand for hybrid and electric

in focus

vehicles by way of supporting 7000 e-Buses but as of date 5595 buses are sanctioned for 64 cities and nearly 2000 ebuses are on the roads. Hydrogen Fuel Cell Vehicles Heralded as the fuel of the future, Hydrogen is the solution for long-range mobility. A clean fuel with zero emissions. Hydrogen fuel cells are more economically viable than EVs primarily due to the time it takes to refuel an FCEV over the time it takes to charge an EV. Shorter refuelling times means lower downtime costs. Not only this the high energy density of hydrogen makes it particularly suitable for heavygoods transport vehicles and has a far lesser payload penalty compared to BEVs. Reliance Industries is leading the India H2 Alliance (IH2A) to commercialise hydrogen

technology and systems to help develop a net-zero carbon emissions footprint. So, keeping my fingers crossed and hoping to see longdistance trucks and buses on select segments of the GQ start operating by 2024-25 or who knows in even 2023-24. Envisioning the Future With a bumpy start to FY22 that saw Q1 volumes crash, the industry has a challenging task to bounce back. With the Covid-19 third wave that is not just imminent but inevitable, the OEMs have a clear task to reignite the demand while fixing the supply chain issues. The positives for the economy and the CV industry are the good monsoon forecast that will fuel rural demand; the massive impetus for infrastructure and road building by the central government; rising production

of key core sectors like coal, steel besides cement; exports has been another area that has been surging over the last six months. However, what can potentially sour the situation besides the impending 3rd wave : Soaring diesel prices, rising inflation and commodity prices stoking vehicle prices besides the sectors derailed by covid like hospitality, tourism and aviation , that will take time to limp back to normalcy. The expectation by most industry watchers is that the CV sector should come back roaring from onwards September of 2021. ......................................................... The author was former Executive Vice President- Sales, Marketing & After market at VE Commercial Vehicles Ltd( A Volvo Group and Eicher Motors JV).The views expressed by the author are his personal opinion and do not necessarily reflect the views of CV magazine

Commercial Vehicle www.commercialvehicle.in | August 2021

OfF Highway

Digitalising To Deliver Actionable Data Mobile hydraulics expert Terry Hershberger draws attention to key trends in controls and IoT connectivity to improve machine design and end-user operations.

ff-highway equipment manufacturers are increasingly working with suppliers of drivetrain systems and ElectroHydraulic (EH) system suppliers to advance the digitalisation of mobile-machine technology. OEMs are completing their

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own Research & Development efforts to determine the best ways to use digitalised EH systems, sensors, controls and mobile edge gateway devices. They are also working with end-user customers to clearly define what “actionable data” really means for off-highway

operations. What device data, or correlated datasets from multiple devices, provides the most value for end-users? This is at the crux of creating IoTready technologies that can advance machine performance. The development of IoT-ready technology needs to respond

ofF Highway

Completing the connectivity loop requires well-designed apps. that make it easy to visualise and analyse data according to the specific machine and operational requirements.

to the requirements of key users in both OEM and enduser communities. Their needs are interrelated and based on exploiting the potential for applying data to improve machine design and end-user operations. Take the case of the fleet managers. They need up-todate data on where and how construction equipment or rental equipment is operating. If a unit breaks down or takes longer to clear snow from a highway due to excess snowfall, real-time reporting can make a difference. The focus of service engineers is on eliminating downtime and assuring maximum equipment availability and efficiency. Being able to get vehicle information Over-The-Air (OTA) such as diagnostics (DOTA) and seeing all operational data instantaneously makes it

easier to get machines back to work faster. As R&D engineers develop new capabilities, OEM engineers need real-world data about the performance of those systems. The most actionable data is obtained from pilot machines they put into the field, as well as the first wave of new machines their customers deploy. This real-time, detailed data enables OEMs to conduct cost-benefit analysis of their new systems by measuring under real-world operating conditions, how well the advanced pumps, hybrid drivetrains and other digitalised systems are fulfilling their intended capabilities. Improved sensors, controls and connectivity also provide tools to help them “tune” or optimise the performance of their machines against realworld operating conditions. Given these requirements

by key mobile-machine constituencies, it’s important to understand how the full range of digital mobile technology — hardware, software and connectivity and analytical systems — is being engineered to work together as a complete solution suite. Hardware: Scalable, open and rugged EH controllers and sensors have been an integral part of mobile-machine technology for more than two decades. Generational design advances have refined and expanded the capabilities with more powerful processors and a wider range of sensors, leveraging the ability of CAN bus backbones to handle greater amounts of data. The most effective hardware for IoT-ready machines is designed to be simultaneously rugged, open

Commercial Vehicle www.commercialvehicle.in | August 2021

OfF Highway and scalable. A characteristic commonly associated with the latest digital advances is customisation or the ability to scale a system according to the needs of the application. At one time, customers used to have two options when it came to product selection. They could choose from a limited number of off-the-shelf products or build a system from scratch using many building blocks. Neither option is ideal, since one approach limits versatility and the other can be costly. Today’s leading systems suppliers will instead offer fully configurable products that provide room for growth and reconfiguration as application needs change. For instance, an electronic control unit might offer a set number of inputs and outputs, which can still be configured in line with the needs of the application. Along with scalability, openness in hardware, firmware and software is integral to providing flexibility. Proprietary systems that lock customers into one system architecture with one set of rules and interfaces limit flexibility and add to costs. Instead, solutions based on open standards offer flexibility at the lowest cost and make it easier to custom-configure off-highway equipment with products from different suppliers that are all able to communicate with each other. One of the most important new pieces of digital hardware being introduced into many mobile-machine portfolios is connectivity devices. In many ways, their function is like edge computing or IoT gateways being deployed in automation

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and manufacturing platforms: sophisticated wireless units that connect data generated in mobile machines to IoT infrastructure. The most advanced versions of these systems feature modular and configurable software operating systems that are completely independent of the hardware and support features such as Flash-Over-The-Air (FOTA) and Software Updates Over-The-Air (SOTA). Software: Configurable and modular Digital hardware is just shiny electronics without the right software to enable off-highway equipment to become a full participant in IoT. Leading technology suppliers provide highly modular application software that provides machine control, including the tools for programming, parameterisation and diagnostics. Modularity and deep insight into hydrostatic and EH functions on mobile machines are two critical prerequisites for effective control in this digital, connected machine era. Both OEMs and end-users benefit from software platforms that offer a range of options. These include easy-to-implement,

plug-and-run applications to apps. that are open and can be modified or customised using functional software bundles and libraries. State-ofthe-art software also follows trends in automation controls by enabling OEMs and endusers to develop applications in third-party platforms such as MATLAB, C or IEC 61131-3 programing languages such as Codesys. One key to this flexibility is having a deep understanding of how hydraulic and EH components and systems function in the real world, with the ability to translate that insight into effective software modules. This can affect both the control software as well as the integration and management of sensor data from multiple points within a machine. Insights into how a pump powering a hydrostatic drive system responds to different operator input and varying load conditions, such as the speed of response at which it swivels under high pressure versus how it reacts under low pressures, are critical insights that enable the creation of reusable and configurable software blocks that model that behaviour. These building blocks can be used to create a “digital mirror” of the way the pump should operate under a broad range of conditions. This can be used at the R&D phase by putting a new machine with new capabilities through field testing and capturing sensor data from pilot end-user customers. The actual performance data can be collected and analysed for pumps, valves and hydrostatic travel drives,

off Highway

Terry Hershberger, Bosch Rexroth: “Well-designed sensor strategies are based on a deep understanding of vehicle architectures, their data streams and where to find useful data without the need for additional sensors.”

compared against bench test results, and then the software stack can be refined. Based on the input received from real-world operations, POTA (parameterisation), SOTA and FOTA capabilities make it possible to update the modular software, refine its capabilities and put it into action on the machine. Connectivity: Defining and delivering actionable data Connecting off-highway equipment in real-time to end-users fleet management, service management and company analytical systems will advance the potential of IoT for mobile machines. In its most complete form, however, connectivity means more than just getting data from the machine back to the office. Effective connectivity solutions focus on providing actionable data. Today’s digital technologies present an overabundance of data. Sensors can capture a wealth of data points about the performance of hundreds of

individual devices within a mobile machine. It is critical to understand and consider the difference between “smart” data (actionable critical data) and data for the sake of data (big data). Providing data that the fleet manager, service manager or R&D group at the OEM needs is the key. The cost of data plans with the transmission and storage of that data also are significant considerations. The best connectivity solutions incorporate methods for identifying, capturing, aggregating and delivering actionable data, so end-users don’t need to devote extensive analysis resources to extract useful information. These complete solutions, which are also referred to as telematics, monitor an asset via both GPS and IoT connectivity systems and map that asset’s key data points in real-time, including data-acquisition strategies. Rather than put a sensor in every potential machine location, well-designed sensor strategies are based on a deep understanding of

vehicle architectures, their data streams and where to find useful data without the need for additional sensors and are aligned with end-user requirements. For example, some companies now are providing advanced vibration sensor solutions that go beyond simply reporting anomalies in component vibrations that fall outside standard set-points. Intelligent Vibration Analysis Sensors (IVAS) use smart sensor technology and edge analytics to provide pre-processed, structure-borne sound features of rotating components, which can be more easily analysed and visualised than just raw vibration data. In the case of connectivity hardware, the systems need to be both rugged (IP67 protection) and sophisticated enough to suit any vehicle and application regardless of the conditions where they operate. This includes the ability to communicate across a range of wireless formats (from 2G to 5G) without requiring complex hardware upgrades. Device Commercial Vehicle www.commercialvehicle.in | August 2021

OfF Highway

The best connectivity solutions incorporate methods for identifying, capturing, aggregating and delivering actionable data, so end-users don’t need to devote extensive analysis resources to extract useful information.

management is deemed a crucial capability to manage data coming from sensors and edge gateways — and it flows in both directions. Device management includes the ability to update the software and firmware on connectivity units remotely and according to preplanned schedules. It also supports updates to vital wireless security and firewall features to protect devices from malware and hacking attempts. Device management also supports the ability to modify or update when and how to send data, what file size and format it uses. If an operator decides they need more information or greater details

Commercial Vehicle August 2021 | www.commercialvehicle.in

about drivetrain performance, making that change needs to be as seamless as updating a smartphone’s operating system. Completing the connectivity loop requires well-designed analytical apps. that make it easy to visualise and analyse data according to the specific machine and operational requirements. Apps. for fleet management, vehicle health, remote R&D services and vehicle operation workflows can cover everything from vehicle management and usage scheduling to geofencing and curfew management. This ensures each piece of equipment is only being

operated in the right place, at the right time, by the right personnel. Connectivity is the newest element of today’s digitalised mobile machines and the capabilities required of these systems are still evolving. The ability to capture and move actionable data into cloud-based analytical platforms is rapidly maturing and providing new ways for both OEMs and endusers to improve the value and lifecycle performance of their equipment. ......................................................... The author Terry Hershberger, Director, Sales eSystems and Product Manager, Mobile Hydraulics at Bosch Rexroth, wrote this article for TOHE. Courtesy: Mobility Engineering.

international

uses and coaches are being electrified globally. While some may be at a more advanced stage than the others, on the whole, the end objective is the same. Attaining net zero particulate matter emissions and reducing the carbon footprint are being pursued with renewed vigour to mitigate climate change. In the automotive sector, Original

Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) across markets like in Southeast Asia are working in tandem with their respective governments to put in place the infrastructure for charging in case of emobility and for building a hydrogen or gasbased economy. Averred Jan Deman, Knowledge Director at Busworld, “Electrification is the future and not just for passenger vehicles but for

commercial vehicles as well. The way to zero emission is an important issue that is asked of us from society and we will deliver on what is asked of us.” “In Southeast Asia, only about 10 per cent of greenhouse gases come from transport, 60 per cent of gases come from energy production and 15 per cent from the industry. And from within that 10 per cent, only five per cent comes from

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international buses and coaches, while 54 per cent is attributed to individual cars. So the main evolution we need is to realise the need to shift from individual transport to collective road transport, ” he expressed. In Indonesia, the challenges are manifold. At the heart of it, the need has been to replace an ageing bus and coach fleet and fast meet the modern demands of ‘coach tourism’. The stakeholders agreed unanimously on the need to make commuting safer along with such advancements in the aftermath of the pandemic. Notably, Indonesia is known the world over for infrastructure developments like the TransJakarta Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) and the Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) as the stepping stone to its robust connectivity options built around bus and coach commute. At the Congress, it was evident how the in-cabin environment has turned a priority in the post pandemic world. Indonesia, undoubtedly is eager to crossover with their plans with a swift execution roadmap. Implementation strategy The transition to accessible and safe mobility led by public transportation can be made possible by four major pillars: Charging infrastructure, inclusion of safety measures in buses and coaches to prevent viral transmission, strategy and innovation, and leveraging prospects of urban transport. The first two pillars aim at cleaner tailpipe emissions as well as making interiors safe for the travellers. An efficient and effective network of charging stations across the country will help buses and coaches

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traverse through the country without hindrances or range anxiety among fleet operators and commuters alike on one end of the spectrum. On the

other end of the spectrum, new integrations for onboard air filtration and secluded seating layouts are expected to ensure the safety of the

International onboard passengers and for the crew. The last two pillars, it was agreed, aim at drawing in people from private means of transport to public means. This when realised can curtail the road congestion and at the same time help reduce the carbon footprint. It was opined that a series of routes have to be worked out to encourage people to opt for public transport. These routes must be dedicated corridors for faster commute and extend to frequently visited destinations on the intercity and intracity routes. The strategy on the whole is to use the first two pillars for instilling the confidence in commuters on fronts like range anxiety related breakdowns and negating any apprehensions on non-compliance of Covid-19 protocols. Once achieved, the idea is to scale up the successful pilot to both intercity and intracity routes. Charging Infrastructure Charging infrastructure is the foundation of emobility. When it comes to electrification of public and private transportation, it is true to both passenger and commercial vehicles. The need of the hour is to scale up the charging infrastructure to meet the needs of mass electrification. It must replicate the accessibility of petrol and diesel refuelling stations spread out to every few kilometres across the urban and the rural road network. The congress drew attention to key players involved in laying a strong foundation. ABB Ltd., ZF Friedrichshafen AG, PT Perusahaan Listrik Negara (PLN) is an Indonesian government-owned corporation

which has a monopoly on electricity distribution in Indonesia and generates the majority of the country’s electrical power along with Indonesia Transportation Society (ITS). For instance, PLN plays a key role in building Electric Vehicle Charging Stations (EVCS) across the country. An estimated 168 EVCS are known to be built by PLN of which 101 units will be handed over to the private sector alone. They also provide with predefined business schemes that comprises tariffs suited for a diverse range of vehicles and consumers. The company offers a EV charger range of 25 kW, 150 kW, 50 kW and 150-450 kW. The 150 kW charging facility among these is expected to be an ultra charge station, rest being fast charging stations. Of these, the 450 kW facility will be reserved for buses and coaches. The company is ready to build an ecosystem of EVCS across Indonesia in partnership

with the private sector. Added Deman, “We have a very important role to play and in the evolution phase we have to look at new players as well. The energy suppliers and energy distributors will be crucial here to work hand in hand with the manufacturer, operator and charging infrastructure distributors.” He urged these stakeholders to come forward and play their part in building a robust ecosystem. ITS is playing its part by playing a pivotal role here. It has set goals for the transition to electric buses and coaches. The plan is to invest in 100200 e-buses and go fully electric by the year 2030 with a fleet strength of 14,000 e-buses. ITS will also delegate tasks to various ministries for development of EVs and hybrids besides looking at the end-toend development of e-mobility. It aspires to introduce 2,200 electric or hybrid cars and 2.13 million electric bicycles along

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with 1000 charging stations by 2025. As the apex body, its endeavour is to help private companies looking to make the big switch. ABB will work on providing electric depot charging stations capable of charging multiple buses and coaches at once. The depots are expected to be built with a plug-in facility as well as a pantograph charging facility. There will be provisions for onroute and destination charging as well. ZF will provide electric transmissions for these e-buses and coaches. It is banking on the electric portal axle AxTraX AVE with an integrated wheel hub drive as a solution for electric buses, hybrid buses and trolleybuses. It will also offer the Central drive CeTrax which can be integrated into vehicle designs using a conventional driveline layout. It is claimed to be suited to a variety of special vehicles including terminal tractors, light crane vehicles or municipal vehicles. Both are

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International known to peak at 250 kW and 300 kW respectively. Safety and Innovation Even if the charging ecosystem is built in place to be functional, people are anxious about active safety measures pertaining to the recurring waves of the pandemic. Viruses aside, air filtration to prevent respiratory diseases is high on their agenda too. The perception of public transport lacking these is said to have pushed the demand for private vehicles. Jung Woo Park, President Director at Daimler Commercial Vehicles Indonesia (DCVI) opined, “To cope with this Covid-19 situation, we focus on four areas inside the bus for the passenger’s safety. It includes rapid air exchange, filters, driver protection, handsfree disinfectant dispenser.” Reiterating the shift away from public transportation, Park drew attention to it being a tough challenge to tackle. “Buses and coaches have to make major shifts in their seating layouts, and integrate the cabin with latest devices to ensure passenger safety,” he pointed. Daimer, Adi Putro, Hispacold and Busworld Foundation showcased the new normal with active safety inclusions like onboard rapid air exchange, particle filters with antiviral properties, driver protection door that segregates the driver’s cabin from the passenger seating, sensor controlled disinfectant dispenser, UV rays for sanitisation, and others like a no contact thermometer and single seat layout to adhere to Covid-19 protocols. Veronica Mesa, Commercial Manager at Hispacold, Irizar stated, “The product basically focusses on

three things, eliminate bad odour from passengers commuting long distance, reduce bacteria contact in public transport and lastly to reduce or eliminate contraction of virus altogether in the bus.” Believed to have the potential of curtailing untoward contraction and instill passenger peace of mind, the companies have gone a step beyond by meeting their Corporate Social Responsibilities (CSR) obligations through initiatives like rolling out mobile ICUs and PCR units laden with mandated health equipment and test facilities to benefit the society at large. Future prospects The people and the bus transport industry, it is clear, need a nudge to force the switch from fossil fuel consuming buses to e-buses and coaches. Incentives, policies and schemes will work as a boon for both the supply-side and the demand-side. In Southeast Asia, in 2016, public transport constituted 24 per cent of the traffic which went up to 40 per cent in 2019. The gains were reversed by the serious hit of the pandemic in 2020. The industry has set a modest target of

reaching 50 per cent by 2024. From thereon, by 2029, it aims to attain 60 per cent levels. Besides providing an integrated transport led by buses and coaches, road access restrictions will be used to deter people from using private vehicles. This will include the use of Electronic Road Pricing (ERP), increasing parking tariff, provision of offstreet parking, replacing the on-street parking and provision of ride facilities around the public transport nodes. The third and final pivot is development of network capacity through ITS with initiatives like building flyover or underpass on main conjunction, wider road sides for pedestrians and arrangement for street vendors. The bus fleet will also witness an addition of buses to meet the projected demands in this shift to public transport. Passenger journey will have added incentives like superfast wi-fi, real time bus tracking, vending machine, QR/FR payment methods, loyalty program, onboard entertainment, wayfinding to name a few.

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Hino Poncho Z EV bus Scheduled for 2022, the Hino Poncho Z EV electric bus takes into consideration the growing concern for global environmental issues. Team CV looks at the cnlusions in line.

ino Motors Ltd. has announced the launch of Poncho Z EV lightduty electric bus in spring 2022 in Japan. Based on the Poncho light-duty nonstep diesel bus launched in 2002, which has been widely adopted throughout Japan for community transportation purposes, the

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Poncho Z EV light-duty e-bus, taking into consideration, the growing concern for global environmental issues, features a modern, practical and attractive design. Termed ‘universal’, the design is userfriendly for everyone and optimised for the community. Realising the increasing need for zero-emissions vehicles, given their

close proximity to people’s everyday lives, the Poncho Z EV light-duty e-bus employs the latest advances in electric propulsion technologies found the world over. Engineered to contribute to sustainable community transportation with a people-friendly approach, the Poncho Z EV light-duty e-bus has a large full-flat area and low floor non-step structure. Supporting easier boarding and movement inside the bus for all kinds of passengers, including wheelchair

International users and baby strollers, the e-bus will address urban transportation needs in particular. Devoid of any noise and emission, the vehicle has a large glass area for an airy cabin and a superior ability to manoeuvre. With a social thought of supporting the lives of residents and communities considered during its design process, the Poncho Z EV light-duty e-bus is highly agile. Highly manoeuvrable too, through narrow city streets, the vehicle will have a cruising range sufficient for a community bus. Hino hasn’t yet revealed in kilometer terms how much it would be, but a good guess is, it will be close to or over 200 kms on a full charge. To be also included in the lineup of vehicles by CUBE-LINX1, as a vehicle to be used by e-mobility optimised operation management businesses, the Poncho Z EV light-duty e-bus will be equipped with a lithium-ion battery pack of 105 kWh. Its output will be 161 kW. With an ability to quick charge (CHAdeMO method), the e-bus will seat approximately 30 passengers. With a GVW of 8,000 kg, the e-bus will provide support for customers’ businesses along with its meticulously detailed, high-quality and full-ranging ‘Total Support’ made possible by Hino’s dealer network. Measuring seven-meter in length, the Poncho Z EV light-duty electric bus is part of Hino’s initiatives to achieve zero environmental impact as part of its ‘Environmental Challenge 2050’ policy revealed in 2017. The policy calls for the company to accelerate its efforts to reduce environmental

impact is a series of calculated efforts. In April 2021, the company established midterm targets in its Hino Environmental Milestone 2030. Pursuing all possible measures to achieve carbon neutrality, not only for its own products but also in a wide range of strategies based on a life cycle assessment of vehicles from production to disposal, Hino in cooperation with Woven Alpha Inc. and Isuzu Motors Limited is pursuing the utilisation of

Automated Mapping Platform (AMP). AMP is a connected crowdsourced software platform that supports the creation, development and distribution of High Definition (HD) maps - a key enabler for smart and safe automated mobility. These HD maps are about high-precision data, vehicle fleet data, obtained through advanced satellite imagery technology. Including several layers of data rich Commercial Vehicle www.commercialvehicle.in | August 2021

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information of road objects such as lanes, road signs, traffic lights, and other objects, as well as of road curves and topography, the HD maps create an accurate representation of the road. What has made Hino and Isuzu the most interested in this cooperation deal is the realisation of smarter and safer logistics through automated driving and Advanced Driver Assistance System (ADAS) using HD maps. Participating in the Fukushima Prefecture and Toyota Motor Corporation (Toyota) initiative to build a city for a new future that makes use of hydrogen and technologies produced in Fukushima Prefecture locally, Hino will play the role of one of the two fuel cell truck supplier (the other is Isuzu) for deliveries. Its trucks will be key to optimising operational management and hydrogen

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refilling schedules through the use of connected technologies. The fuel cell trucks will be part of an experiment to carry out energy management that caters to the prevailing local conditions. With attention to Japan’s 2050 Carbon Neutral Goal, Hino, as part of the Fukushima Prefecture’s quest to use hydrogen technologies produced or sourced locally, is confident of supporting the building of sustainable societies that can be passed on to future generations. Signing an agreement with REE Automotive Ltd. (REE), an innovator in e-mobility, through Toyota Motor Corporation (TMC), Hino is pushing for the creation of a new value to society through next-generation commercial mobility systems. Against the backdrop of advancements in - Connected, Autonomous, Shared and

Electric vehicles(CASE), it along with REE, is looking at a transformation of commercial vehices that support the movement of people and goods such that they provide new value and opportunities for the society. The CV major has developed an ultra lowfloor walk through light-duty electric truck designed for usability in logistics. It has a walk-through van style, which provides user-friendliness and carbon-free approach. Aimed at advanced levels of operations at the logistics field, the new truck, engineered for last mile logistics, will make an appearance in early 2022. It will be called the Dutro Z EV. With a GVW of less than 3.5-tonne, the vehicle, tapping the trend of decreasing workforce and the growth of e-commerce, is designed to help deliver cargo and goods to consumers in the field of last mile logistics

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by taking into consideration challenges like driver shortage and the dearth of people that have the physical burden of cargo handling. Taking into consideration the challenge to making timely delivery and an increasingly diverse array of goods, the Dutro Z EV is about achieving carbon neutrality. Measuring 4.7 m in length and employing a 50kW permanentmagnet synchronous motor, the Duto Z EV is designed by looking at logistics issues from the customer’s perspective. As a new ultra-low-floor front-wheel drive electric truck, it features

an ultra-low floor design. This is highly unlike the high-floor configuration of a conventional rear-wheel drive vehicles. Reducing the ground clearance by half almost at 400 mm, in the process improving the centre of gravity and stability, the Dutro Z EV is engineered to ensure dramatic improvements in cargo handling and accessibility. If the walk-through structure provides greater ease of use at delivery locations, the e-truck, fitted with a 40 kWh lithium-ion battery, will provide a cruising range of at least 100 kilometers. Available as a cab chassis too,

the Dutro Z EV e-truck is a size smaller than the current Dutro. Capable of being equipped with a cargo bed according to customer applications and offer configuration choices to best suit the way customers do business, the e-truck will be easier to drive in residential areas. It will be normally chargable and quick chargable (CHAdeMO, 50kW). With safety equipment like PCS (Pre-Collision Safety) system, Erroneous Start Prevention Function (Intelligent clearance sonar), electric parking brake, electronic inner mirror and lane departure warning system, the Duto Z EV e-truck will provide the required cargo volume despite its compact body. Anticipating utilisation in a wide range of locations and time periods, such as inside stores, warehouses, airports, and other large-scale facilities, the e-truck

Commercial Vehicle www.commercialvehicle.in | August 2021

flashback

Falcon To The Rescue

irlift, was inspired by a true story of a prominent Indian businessman in Kuwait, Mathunny Mathews. Directed by Raja Krishna Menon, it shows Mathews leading an operation hailed as one of the largest civilian evacuations of about 1.7 lakh Indians stranded in Kuwait during the Gulf war of 1990. Mathunny Mathews aka Toyota Sunny (played by Akshay Kumar) played a pivotal role in airlifting them. This feat is also registered in the Guinness Book of World Records.. Back in August 1990, Iraq invaded Kuwait. Mathunny Mathews (Ranjit Katyal in the movie) converts his office into a base camp for Indians who were terrified of staying in the midst of a war zone. Ranjit traveled from Kuwait to Amman Airport, a 1400 kms drive by road. To accommodate and transport a huge number of people along with their luggage, Ranjit required a convoy of 10 Buses and

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vans and 15 cars. As the movie scene depicts, the convoy was led by Ranjit, with a 1990’s Cadillac, Old Eicher 1059, and followed by a fleet of Ashok Leyland ‘Falcons’ that caught our attention. With the help offered by the Indian Government at Amman Airport, Jordan, around 500 flights were deployed in this rescue operation in which Indian Air Force and Air India played a key role. The brand ‘Falcon’ which was used in the movie is discontinued today in India as the new BSVI emission norms rolled out in April 2020. Known to operate at q low cost and provide good fuel economy, these buses score on passenger comfort too with inclusions like an armrest, and tilt recline of seats offered as standard features on the bus. The bus is equipped with rollover stability, breakable glass for accidents or emergency evacuation, a three-point seatbelt

for all passengers and driver, a USB port for charging and airconditioning offered as optional features. Under the hood, the powerhouse is based on the W06DTI six-cylinder engine, known to be a Euro3 or BSIII equivalent, heavy-duty engine. The Falcon achieved higher fuel efficiency by using a Multi-Point Fuel Injection (MPFI) system and delivers 135 kW (181 hp) @ 2400 rpm with the maximum torque of 60 kgm @ 1600 rpm. The engine is mated to a ZF, five-speed synchromesh type gearbox. The bus is equipped with semi-elliptic laminated multi-leaf suspension with a high degree of shock absorption ability for comfort. The brakes used in the bus are pneumatic diaphragm operated with a dual-line arrangement. It has flick valve operated pneumatic hand brake on rear wheels. The Falcon fleet led the rescue mission from the front.

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COMMERCIAL VEHICLE INDIA AUGUST 2021

Articles inside

Digitalising To Deliver Actionable Data

Last-Mile Cargo Solutions

Hino Poncho Z EV bus